The ID of Birna Brjánsdóttir was found in a trash can on board the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq. Two crew members are being held on suspicion of having murdered Birna on January 14. Her body was found on Sunday after a desperate 8 day search.
According to the sources of the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service Police discovered Birna’s ID during the forensic search of the trawler. Birna’s body was found on Sunday near Selvogsviti lighthouse on the south coast of Reykjanes peninsula. Her shoes were found on Monday last week, near the location where the Greenlandic trawler was harboured in Hafnarfjarðarhöfn harbour. Her cell phone or other belongings have not been found.
Police and Police Special Forces boarded the trawler on Wednesday, bringing it to harbour in Hafnarfjörður and arresting three crew members who were suspected of having information about the 20 year old local girl who had been missing since Saturday. One of the men was released after questioning, but two Greenlandic nationals in their 20s are still being held on suspicion of murder. Their interrogation will continue today.
Police closer to determining the cause of death
According to the sources of the local newspaper Fréttablaðið police believes it is close to determining Birna’s cause of death. Grímur Grímsson, police Chief Superintendent, who is in charge of the investigation, told the local news site Vísir that police still lacks a better picture of the travels of the red Kia Rio the two men were driving.
Police believes Birna was murdered in the car, as blood from her was found in the car.
Information about red Kia Rio still needed
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows that one of the two men still in custody boarded the ship Polar Nanoq at 6:10 AM on Saturday morning. The other man, however, is seen leaving the harbour area at 7:00 AM, only to return at 11:30 AM. Police suspects that he dumped the body of Birna during this time.
Anyone who has any information about the car during this time period is urged to come forward.
Previous Iceland Insider coverage of the case:
We at Iceland Insider have been covering this horrible case since it first broke. Here is a rundown of our coverage to date.
Monday Jan 23:
Many unanswered questions despite the discovery of Birna's body
Sunday Jan 22:
Birna's body was found eight days after she was discovered missing.
Read more: Body of missing girl found: All evidence points to murder by two Greenlandic fishermen
Friday Jan 20
More details about the drug find on-board the Greenlandic trawler.
Read more: Forensic search of Greenlandic trawler: 20-40 kg (44-88 lbs) of hash blocks found
Police believes the two men held in custody are responsible for the murder of Birna.
Read more: Two sailors from Greenlandic trawler suspected of murder, search for missing girl continues
Greenlandic Foreign Minister postpones visit to Norway while the search for Birna continues.
Read more: Greenlandic Foreign Minister postpones visit to Norway due to disappearance of local girl
Thursday Jan 19
Police discover large quantities of drugs on-board the trawler, arresting a fourth man.
Read more: Fourth man arrested after large quantities of drugs discovered on board Greenlandic trawler
Police reveals that evidence from the a red Kia Rio the sailors had rented from Friday to Saturday pointed to a violent crime.
Read more: Missing girl: Evidence from car rented by crew members of Greenlandic trawler points to a crime
More arrests on-board the ship, which arrived in harbour at 23:07 on Wednesday
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
Wednesday Jan 18
Police arrested two men on board the trawler.
Read more: Two arrested on-board Greenlandic trawler in connection to missing girl
Police officers and members of the Police Special Forces were flown out to the Danish Coast Guard vessel HDMS Triton which was on intercept course with the Polar Nanoq.
Read more: Missing girl: Members of the Police Special Forces on their way to Greenlandic trawler
The case has gripped the Icelandic nation. Police warns people to avoid of hysteria.
Read more: Airing of British TV series The Missing postponed while search continues for missing girl
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows crew members exiting the red Kia Rio, behaving suspiciously. The trawler was returned to harbour in Reykjavík.
Read more: Missing girl: Disturbing clues, no arrests, but Greenlandic trawler returned to harbour in Iceland
Tuesday Jan 17
The car was linked to crew members of Greenlandic trawler which had been docked in Hafnarfjörður from Wednesday to Saturday. The trawler had sailed out and was fishing off the east coast of Greenland.
Tuesday afternoon Police found what it believes is the red Kia Rio seen in security camera footage just seconds before she was last spotted on CCTV footage in down town Reykjavík. The car was likely driven by foreign nationals. The driver is seen behaving suspiciously shortly after Birna's cellphone is turned off at 5:50 AM.
Read more: Missing woman: Car seen in surveillance tapes likely found, driver seen behaving strangely
Shoes which match those worn by Birna were found early Tuesday morning in Hafnafjörður, south of Reykjavík. Police does not rule out the shoes were planted at the scene. All available Police and Search and Rescue members are searching in and around Hafnafjörður harbour.
Read more: Police does not rule out that pair of shoes believed to belong to missing woman were planted
Police relased CCTV footage of Birna walking in downtown Reykjavík on Monday.
Read more: Search for missing young woman: Police releases footage from surveillance cameras
Monday Jan 16
A large scale search had been underway since Saturday for 20 year old local woman. Police feared foul play.
Read more: Young local woman missing since Saturday: Have you seen her?
The ID of Birna Brjánsdóttir was found in a trash can on board the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq. Two crew members are being held on suspicion of having murdered Birna on January 14. Her body was found on Sunday after a desperate 8 day search.
According to the sources of the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service Police discovered Birna’s ID during the forensic search of the trawler. Birna’s body was found on Sunday near Selvogsviti lighthouse on the south coast of Reykjanes peninsula. Her shoes were found on Monday last week, near the location where the Greenlandic trawler was harboured in Hafnarfjarðarhöfn harbour. Her cell phone or other belongings have not been found.
Police and Police Special Forces boarded the trawler on Wednesday, bringing it to harbour in Hafnarfjörður and arresting three crew members who were suspected of having information about the 20 year old local girl who had been missing since Saturday. One of the men was released after questioning, but two Greenlandic nationals in their 20s are still being held on suspicion of murder. Their interrogation will continue today.
Police closer to determining the cause of death
According to the sources of the local newspaper Fréttablaðið police believes it is close to determining Birna’s cause of death. Grímur Grímsson, police Chief Superintendent, who is in charge of the investigation, told the local news site Vísir that police still lacks a better picture of the travels of the red Kia Rio the two men were driving.
Police believes Birna was murdered in the car, as blood from her was found in the car.
Information about red Kia Rio still needed
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows that one of the two men still in custody boarded the ship Polar Nanoq at 6:10 AM on Saturday morning. The other man, however, is seen leaving the harbour area at 7:00 AM, only to return at 11:30 AM. Police suspects that he dumped the body of Birna during this time.
Anyone who has any information about the car during this time period is urged to come forward.
Previous Iceland Insider coverage of the case:
We at Iceland Insider have been covering this horrible case since it first broke. Here is a rundown of our coverage to date.
Monday Jan 23:
Many unanswered questions despite the discovery of Birna's body
Sunday Jan 22:
Birna's body was found eight days after she was discovered missing.
Read more: Body of missing girl found: All evidence points to murder by two Greenlandic fishermen
Friday Jan 20
More details about the drug find on-board the Greenlandic trawler.
Read more: Forensic search of Greenlandic trawler: 20-40 kg (44-88 lbs) of hash blocks found
Police believes the two men held in custody are responsible for the murder of Birna.
Read more: Two sailors from Greenlandic trawler suspected of murder, search for missing girl continues
Greenlandic Foreign Minister postpones visit to Norway while the search for Birna continues.
Read more: Greenlandic Foreign Minister postpones visit to Norway due to disappearance of local girl
Thursday Jan 19
Police discover large quantities of drugs on-board the trawler, arresting a fourth man.
Read more: Fourth man arrested after large quantities of drugs discovered on board Greenlandic trawler
Police reveals that evidence from the a red Kia Rio the sailors had rented from Friday to Saturday pointed to a violent crime.
Read more: Missing girl: Evidence from car rented by crew members of Greenlandic trawler points to a crime
More arrests on-board the ship, which arrived in harbour at 23:07 on Wednesday
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
Wednesday Jan 18
Police arrested two men on board the trawler.
Read more: Two arrested on-board Greenlandic trawler in connection to missing girl
Police officers and members of the Police Special Forces were flown out to the Danish Coast Guard vessel HDMS Triton which was on intercept course with the Polar Nanoq.
Read more: Missing girl: Members of the Police Special Forces on their way to Greenlandic trawler
The case has gripped the Icelandic nation. Police warns people to avoid of hysteria.
Read more: Airing of British TV series The Missing postponed while search continues for missing girl
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows crew members exiting the red Kia Rio, behaving suspiciously. The trawler was returned to harbour in Reykjavík.
Read more: Missing girl: Disturbing clues, no arrests, but Greenlandic trawler returned to harbour in Iceland
Tuesday Jan 17
The car was linked to crew members of Greenlandic trawler which had been docked in Hafnarfjörður from Wednesday to Saturday. The trawler had sailed out and was fishing off the east coast of Greenland.
Tuesday afternoon Police found what it believes is the red Kia Rio seen in security camera footage just seconds before she was last spotted on CCTV footage in down town Reykjavík. The car was likely driven by foreign nationals. The driver is seen behaving suspiciously shortly after Birna's cellphone is turned off at 5:50 AM.
Read more: Missing woman: Car seen in surveillance tapes likely found, driver seen behaving strangely
Shoes which match those worn by Birna were found early Tuesday morning in Hafnafjörður, south of Reykjavík. Police does not rule out the shoes were planted at the scene. All available Police and Search and Rescue members are searching in and around Hafnafjörður harbour.
Read more: Police does not rule out that pair of shoes believed to belong to missing woman were planted
Police relased CCTV footage of Birna walking in downtown Reykjavík on Monday.
Read more: Search for missing young woman: Police releases footage from surveillance cameras
Monday Jan 16
A large scale search had been underway since Saturday for 20 year old local woman. Police feared foul play.
Read more: Young local woman missing since Saturday: Have you seen her?
